Eradication Of Corruption: Ignoring Harsha’s Warning May Be Catastrophic To Yahapalana Government

Dr Harsha de Silva, Deputy Minister of Policy Planning and Economic Development, in an emotion filled intervention during a live television discussion programme, blasted the whole administration system of the country. His charge was that from top to bottom and from one side to the other, known to strategic planners as viewing from a 360̊ dimension, has been marred with stinking corruption, waste and theft of public funds.

Hurling corruption charges at each other

He has confessed that he had been disgusted with the nauseating politics and the corrupt system that has nurtured it. Instead of using time, energy and resources for planning and implementing policies for the development of the country, everyone is engaged in hurling corruption charges at each other.

One politician is charging another that the latter is corrupt; the latter retorts immediately charging that it is the former who is corrupt. Thus, everyone tries to play the role of the good policeman believing that all others are at error. Harsha says that his intention in entering politics has not been to function as a policeman.

Corruption is everywhere

Instead, he has joined the political force to use his technical capability as an economist for the betterment of people. Yet, what he observes is widespread corruption everywhere, for example, from municipal councils to hospitals to private eating houses. One cannot have a building plan approved, charges Harsha, unless he is ready to pay a bribe to local authority officials. Even at hospitals, if one wants to get preferred treatment, one has to pay a bribe. His position is that this epidemic should be eradicated if Sri Lanka is to develop as a decent nation.

Fighting against corruption

Harsha has observed both the small and big picture of corruption profile of Sri Lanka. In his charge against corruption, he has been both angry and emotional. Angry because he has been such a small keg in the power-machinery of the country that he cannot direct bigger forces for building a clean society according to his ideals. He had been a vociferous critic, both in Parliament and outside, of the previous administration’s supposed to be corrupt deals and practices.

Failure to investigate corruption charges

Now, even after two years in power, these charges have not been conclusively investigated, specifically the losses incurred by the Central Bank on account of the alleged hedging deal and investment in Greece bonds. He had also charged the Central Bank on account of misusing funds belonging to the members of the Employees Provident Fund or EPF by the previous administration. Yet, nothing had happened about making formal inquiries into those allegations.

Expressing dissatisfaction in a public forum

His dissatisfaction was openly expressed when he questioned in a public forum the Governor of the Central Bank, Arjuna Mahendtran, an appointee to that post by his government, about the wasteful investment of EPF funds in the stock market. After Governor Mahendran gave an irrelevant answer, he went on grilling him about the wisdom of EPF owning private banks.

Controlling private banks through EPF

This was a criticism levelled against the previous administration and when the new government came to power, it was expected to be rectified. But Governor Mahendran who appeared to be ignorant of the previous criticisms levelled by Harsha justified the investments in question on the ground that it would increase the return to members, albeit the published data had suggested the opposite.This writer too in two previous articles called the government to divest the shares owned by EPF in private banks due to the potential conflict which it brings to the Monetary Board of the Central Bank.

Continuing to follow the previous administration

Yet the government continued to use the extraordinary privilege which it had inherited from the previous administration to control private banks by appointing its own members as board members. Thus, instead of ushering an era of good governance, it continued to practice the same malgovernance principles unabated.

Corruption charges against the present government

The present government was brought to power by people to eliminate corruption and create a law-abiding clean society. But its track record during the last two and a half years has been marred with similar corruption charges. Now Harsha sitting on the other side of the debate has been required to answer those charges in public. Naturally, he should be angry about the embarrassing position to which he has now been driven.

An ambulance service coming under attack

Harsha has been emotional not only when he has been too angry at injustice. He has been emotional when the fruits of his labour had produced the required results too. One such occasion has been the inauguration of the Indian government sponsored ambulance service in Sri Lanka. That service was the target of criticism by the Government Medical Officers Association or GMOA which had issues with India on account of the proposed Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement, popularly known as ETCA, with that country.

Hence, objecting to everything Indian, GMOA began a campaign against the service that it would pave way for unqualified Indian paramedics to play with the lives of vulnerable and voiceless Sri Lankan patients. It even raised a national security issue for Sri Lanka implying that those ambulances, manned by Indians, could have access even to the President’s residence. Thus, when the first batch of Sri Lankan paramedics was trained and recruited to the service, Harsha became too emotional to deliver his speech.

The exemplary track record of the ambulance service

The track record of the ambulance service since its inauguration has shown that it has indeed been a life saver for Sri Lankans, contrary to the demonic picture painted by GMOA. This writer can vouch for its excellent service with firsthand experience. The occasion arose when his elder sister suffered a massive stroke in the evening of a public holiday when no one was around at home.

With no other alternative available, Harsha’s ambulance service was contacted for help. Within five minutes of calling, an ambulance showed up at the residence staffed by paramedics and equipped with most modern first aid apparatuses.

The paramedics who were all Sri Lankans provided all the first aid necessary whilst in transit including the supply of life saving oxygen to the patient. They were constantly in contact with the hospital about the patient being transported and, therefore, the hospital staff was in readiness to receive her. The driver who was also a Sri Lankan navigated the vehicle expertly to reach the hospital within minutes.

Her life was saved because she could get the required medical attention in time. The central office of the ambulance service had later contacted the niece of this writer to ascertain whether she was satisfied or not with the service provided. Such customer satisfaction and suggestion seeking follow-ups with citizens are totally alien to the other public services in the country.

Institutionalisation of corruption in Sri Lanka

The problem with Sri Lanka is that corruption has been institutionalised as a normal activity. It is a part of the value system of Sri Lankans. The public sector that includes politicians believes that it is their right to get illegal rewards from the public and pocket out them without disclosing to anyone.

The private sector believes that it is their obligation to award various forms of gratifications to those in power. Thus, touts flock around politicians when they come to power and function as middlemen soliciting unearned rewards from people when they want to get even legitimate services from the government.

If people do not oblige, papers would be unnecessarily delayed or even files would disappear without a trace. Papers would reappear only after the rates of unearned rewards are agreed upon and delivered.

Shadowy bodies around real administration bodies

Many have experienced that at every public sector regulatory body, there is a ‘shadowy body’ too and they have to first go through that shadowy body before their applications could be considered by the real regulatory body. Since time and inconvenience are costly, people choose the easy path of agreeing with the rate of reward to be awarded to the people behind the shadowy body.

At the lowest level, even getting a rates file transferred at a local body requires a citizen to face the reality of the shadowy local body if he is to have his request processed by the real local body. The normal modus operandi is that the citizen would be informed that the file is incomplete and therefore cannot be processed. If it goes on for some time without awarding the requested reward, the file would simply disappear to miraculously reappear once the reward is properly paid out.

At the highest level, many foreign investors have confided with this writer that their applications for approval of foreign investments had to be first tackled at the shadowy approving body before they were to be processed by the real approving body. This system is deeply rooted within Sri Lanka’s culture today. When it could no longer be tolerated, the citizenry changed the government in January 2015 to put a stop to it.

Increase in corruption perception after the new government came to power

However, after the new government came to power, instead of reducing the corruption levels, the overall corruption perception in Sri Lanka has increased over the last two years, according to the Corruption Perception Index being compiled by Berlin-based Transparency International annually.

In the corruption perception, if a country is extremely corrupt, its score is zero out of 100; if it is very clean, it can expect to have a perfect score of 100.

After two years of the new Good Governance Government, Sri Lanka’s score has fallen to 36 out of 100 lowering it the 95th position out of 176 countries. This deterioration has taken place despite the fact that only 20% in Sri Lanka believing that corruption has increased and 49% thinking that the government is fighting hard to eliminate corruption, according to a report published by Transparency International in March 2017.

According to this report, people have perceived that the Police has been the most corrupt institution followed by public bodies that issue permits, public schools, water and power authorities, and the courts system. Government hospitals have maintained less corrupt systems, as revealed in this report.

Don’t be complacent about small gains of corruption perception

Sri Lanka is still better than some of the countries in the region like Pakistan or India. In India, percentage of people who have paid a bribe to receive public services has been about 69% and in Pakistan, it is about 40%. Comparably, Sri Lanka’s percentage has been low at 15%. This is not a reason for the government to be complacent.

Government says it is committed to fighting against corruption

Corruption is still stinking and unless the government takes action to nip it in the bud, it infects the whole society like an epidemic. Sri Lanka is gradually moving to this level and it is not a good sign for a country which aspires to become a rich country by 2025, according to the vision of the present government.

Richness does not come through only an increase in income or material well being. It comes through a culture in which people recognise that seeking unearned incomes from fellow citizens is immoral and unethical.

When the corruption levels are low, it gives incentives for people to work harder and enjoy the fruits of their labour. That is the system that is conducive for a country to attain a sustainable economic growth.

Thus, Harsha’s lamentation should be followed by concrete action to eradicate corruption. The government’s V2025 document has pledged that it is ‘committed to fight against corruption’ since it negatively impacts the country’s global outlook. This is a fair enough promise, but these words have to be converted to deeds if real results are to be attained on the ground.

*W.A Wijewardena, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, can be reached at waw1949@gmail.com

Latest comments

K A Sumanasekera/September 11, 2017

Slow learner…….Isn’t he………But then this is the same dude who couldn’t work out how post Nanthikadal Economic growth in Yalpanam was 22 % when the national average was only 12 %……

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Native Vedda/September 11, 2017

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KASmaalam K A Sumanasekera
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Now he is talking about good governance outside the UNP and says he entered politics to serve the country.
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Please note Dr. Harsha de Silva also said ”I am a proud Southerner and a Sinhala Buddhist. I have no desire whatsoever to align with the Tigers and betray my country,” — interview to Al Jazeera on 2014-11-25.
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On the one hand he had invoked the usual Sinhala/Buddhist mantra to get votes from the fascist section of the Sinhala/Buddhists on the other hand he talks about disgusting behaviour such as bribe taking, theft and so on.
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This disgusting politician cannot have the cake and eat it too.
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He has to decide, either he is with the people or with the Sinhala/Buddhist fascists. Being part of Sinhala/Buddhist fascists he has already lost his right to talk against bad governance. He wants to protect the war criminals.

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Jagath Fernando/September 12, 2017

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If Harsha and Eran have backbones, they have to leave UNP and start a new political party which will denounce corruption and take action against corrupt officials and politicians. They have to ensure the judiciary is independent which is the most important thing.

Mara, Sirisena and Ranik have not been able to do this.

But knowing Harsha and Eran this is unlikely to happen!!!

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Ajith/September 13, 2017

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Sumnae,

You are a bright mathematician but you only mentioned 22% and 12%. Why can’t you tell from waht percentage to what percentage? -10/10 = 20%, 100/112 =12%. Before Nanthikadal it was negative growth.

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Indrajith/September 11, 2017

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Harsha De Silva is good at acting emotionally when it comes to corruption. However, we should not forget the fact that he is all out to save his master the Prime Minister who is the main culprit in the UNPs Bond Scam. He was also a prime member of the Foot Note Gang at the Cope committee . No one can survive as a Sri Lankan politician if he/she is honest and does not lie.

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Samuel Jayaweera/September 11, 2017

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You guys always attack almost everyone.

I know him very well, he would not belong to the bunch you think would abuse anyone.

He has even louded, if his would be not a match, would definitely leave politics.
He is the only person to have uttered that entire country is corrupted as nothing can help easily. It is like metastazied cancer… so you guys have to open your eyes LET alone today. Rajapakshe ballige puthas looted and ruined this nation as nothing can help. Tha tis the saddest reality.

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Sam Fernando/September 11, 2017

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You would not hide almost everything sans BOND SCAM mr. We want Bond scam and Rajapakshe murder to HIGH crimes be investigated without delay.

That we want.. I repsect Dr Silva and Ajith Perera and the like young blood. Bond scam will reveal not just current bunch but older thugs will also have to be beheaded putting this on a line. That you will see man… now or later that will ocure.
Then Rajapakshe family too should be beheaded for all the high crimes they deliberately made not thinking twice. That is how they also killed nothern civilians. Nothing to hide, they should face it. Then only we the srilankens can breath in properly.

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nimal fernando/September 11, 2017

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I don’t know who – the judge – gave 3 years RI for the 2 public servants Lalith and the other gentleman.
Good on him and it should be highly commended!
It seems even the low-life rascal Ranil was expecting a suspended sentence; that’s what he has told the other crook Mahinda.
If there is any honour and sense of right/wrong – and a little divine luck and a judge with balls – the crooks Ranil and Mahinda should be sharing the same cell in Welikada. Let’s see how unexpected that’ll be.
Only then, will I believe in the impartiality of the SL judiciary.

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Punchiburampi/September 11, 2017

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PM made a big mistake to have hand picked someone who he knew long to achieve lot more in internal financial bodies.
A;M had no whatsoever stains inhis entire CV since he left the country or even before. He was earlier srilanken.
So all reflect him to be the person. There PM did though a mistake but it was not known to him: i am not whitewashing PM but investigations will reveal everything:
This high issues not just retrict to current period, go back to 5 years or so.
oNE another ballige putha of Rajapakshe – predecessor to AM should also be punished not to have held a legal entity for CB until AM was appointed:
All in all, everything is entwined as nothing can help easily to analyse the issue.

Monies can be taken back, but the harm done by them cant BE reparirable easily.

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Seelawathie Jayasinghe/September 11, 2017

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Today we everyone are becoming that BOND scam took place inthe country.
But in the same time, we also know Rajapakshe looted same amount of or more billions in their banks in Dubai and other countries.

Truth will come to surface sooner than later.
Let s wait. Lies will never be burried as they are forever.

That we know perfectly.

What happened to the lamboginies those bastard sons ran in the high days of TYRANNY. ?
That foul mouthed Namal Baby should be put in jail for a decade or longer.
ONLY one in that family would be away from Jail sessions , can be the youngest son.

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Justice & Fairplay/September 12, 2017

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Indrajit, I beg to disagree, for we must not lose the only thing we have… HOPE.

I believe Harsha is a good man (Much like Eran), but they have to fit in to a complicated and very corrupt political system/framework in order to survive before contributing.

Both Harsha and Eran are not in politics to make money. If we start believing that, we may end up somewhere. The next step would be to persuade these two and a FEW others, to go their own – possibly form a new party of decent professionals in politics. They will have massive support.

Ranil and Ravi have shown us that the UNP are completely and comprehensively washed up.

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K.Pillai/September 12, 2017

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Indrajith
You are being unduly harsh on Lankan politicians when you say ~ “No one can survive as a Sri Lankan politician if he/she is honest and does not lie”
Politicians the world over are dishonest liars.

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Champa/September 11, 2017

“V2025 is committed to fight against corruption????” How, it was initiated by the mastermind of the central bank bond heist himself.

Good people have to struggle. Corrupt people are successful. This is not the way Karma should work.

Politicians will never take action to curb corruption. It is the people who should make the initiative.

Mandatory 5-years rigorous imprisonment should be compulsory for any corrupt. In addition to that their properties and money in accounts should be confiscated. Nobody buys a Sil Redda for 700,000 people at the local rate. There definitely should have been a discount. For an example; if I sell a shirt for Rs. 9000 and if somebody wants to buy 700,000 pieces he will ask a discount. Then I will give it for Rs. 6000 as my cost is only 3000. Therefore there is no reason to believe that the actual cost for Sil Redda for 700,000 people is Rs. 600 million. I don’t think the public is so stupid to believe what politicians and their cronies say.

There is no point in imposing fines as seen in Lalith Weeratunga’s case. Without shame politicians go for Black-Mist-Hat-Collection from Buddhists to pay fines. What is the point of imposing fines for corrupt if it is the public who pay for it?

What did MR and JO exchanged to convert LW ‘s rigorous imprisonment to a rigorous daycare at the Prison Hospital? Mattala airport, ETCA, Federal? At this rate of political maneuvering and distorting justice, even if Aloysius is sentenced to 3 years rigorous imprisonment, Ranil will send him to the Prison Hospital. Can MR and JO object?

Both past and present government politicians are corrupt. I don’t understand why people still think Ranil, Mahinda, Gotabhaya and Basil are leaders.

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Punchiburampi/September 11, 2017

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If you would say so, your siamese twin Ballige putha Wimal weerawanse to be the first to face the imprisonment with no way back.

I think we have to stand it today, be it minor or major any crime doers to be punished with maximum fines.. then only the future of the youth would be protected.

That Sarana ballige putha, is believed to have perpectrated high crimes upon the request of Rajaakshe goons. But he is scot free sofar, … nothing reacted on him.
So is the case for that soil digging family Anruddha some in Diwulapitiya …. and very many other areas. Also not forgetting, the ones who attacked VISITING UNP fact finding mission to Hambantota in 2013 or so, must be beheaded then only the nation would ever learn… that the punishments are that rigorous…
they would even warn to his known or her known, not to behave criminally.
That is how Germany, Japan and other countries built up their nations.
Why not us.
We also faced a war that went to 30 years.
Even if Rajaapkshe conunted bonus by having stopped it inhis terms, but it was a collective act succeeded it.
They are highly fradulent, even truths to be abused and keep the folks away from the realities.

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Champa/September 12, 2017

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Punchiburampi — (Balige putha – by his own admission)

Go fly a kite man. Ranil, the bank robber has disgraced the High Office. Nowhere in our history where there is a high profile case like the Bond scam where country’s Prime Minister is involved.

What did Wimal do? It was Wimal who exposed the culprits first, when Ranil laughed at other MPP whether they even know the meaning of “Treasury Bonds”, Wimal studie the issue and gave a comprehensive description of the scam in the Parliament and only after that the words “Central Bank Bond scam” became a household topic. Your godfather Ranil has no moral right to investigate about others on bogus charges when he himself masterminded the Central Bank daylight robbery.

The reason to appoint a PCoI and the resignation of the former FM is enough proof that Yahapalanaya Government is involved in fraud and corruption.

Yahapalanaya should first clean themselves before pointing fingers at others. Bond scam is only one but there is a plethora of other fraud cases involving other Ministers. PCoI on Bond scam is just the beginning. Once their investigations are finalized there will be public demand to punish the perpetrators and appoint more PCsoI to investigate about other Ministers.

You say, “That is how Germany, Japan and other countries built up their nations. Why not us.“

You want to know the reason : it is because your godfather Ranil started robbing the Central Bank the moment he was appointed as the PM.

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Al-faqurlah/September 12, 2017

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Champa, why are you using a suddha Sinhala word “Ballige Putha”. Use the pure Arabic word “Bin Balli” which means the same.

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Champa/September 12, 2017

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Al-faqurlah

Your ability to writing is only not enough. You must learn to read and understand too. If you can read, you will see that Blige putha is not my word but it is the word used by “Punchiburampi” for Wimal. I only returned the favour. I waste no time in returning such favours.

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Jmmy/September 12, 2017

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Champa don’t forget the CPC oil hedging case too. Sri Lanka lost billions and by the way while Air Lanka was losing billions your sweet boy Wimals government started Mihin Air another loss making enterprise. Your sweet boy Wimal did not do anything when he was in the ruling party.

These losses will not be paid by the sweet boys in parliament whether it is the UNP or SLFP who I would rather say did not rule this country but ruined this country in the past 69 years since Independence. It will be the public who will have to pay in the generations to come.

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Champa/September 13, 2017

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Jimmy

What you say is not true.

It was not Wimal’s government, it was UPFA government which was run by Rajapaksa brothers and sons.

Wimal has tried his best. Once he threatened to resign and he vehemently criticized Mahinda Chinthanaya combining with Regaining Sri Lanka after 2010. He openly said that those who supported Mahinda at the crucial 2005 election were not the people who were surrounded by Mahinda after 2010.
In 2014, Wimal presented 12 conditions for Mahinda’s government to meet. I think he was succeeded to a certain extent to make some changes. I think Wimal was the only Minister who was not intimated by Rajapaksas. He never compromised his principles for cheap gain.

If the previous government was bad, this government is the worst in fraud and corruption.

There is democracy but it is deconsolidated, therefore people don’t enjoy full freedom in all elements.

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Jmmy/September 14, 2017

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Dear Champa

Wimal was a part and parcel of the UPFA government. And Wimal is still supporting Rajapaksa brothers and Sons. He surrounds them even today.

Well in Sri Lanka the idea of ministers resigning is just a joke. It is just showmanship. I have never seen any minister resigning from government on principals.

Please don’t talk about Wimals principals. We all know how he staged his hunger strike in front of the UN by eating biscuits.

” If the previous government was bad, this government is the worst in fraud and corruption”

I don’t agree. But even if you are right no one has the right to steal, gain personally from the public wealth. No one can be excused. They have to be accountable. Just think about this: if Rs. 100.00 is stolen from the public coffers 70% belongs to the majority community. So it is the duty of the majority community to demand accountability. But the leaders know how to hoodwink the majority community. Play the race card or religious card and they will forget the rest.

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Champa/September 11, 2017

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Kids have no one to look upto. All the leaders are corrupt. Youth should come forward to challenge corruption.

Some government officials think “it’s ok to steal from the government”. There is a story.

One day a principle of a school has telephoned a father of a child in grade 2 and asked him to come to the school immediately without telling the reason. The father, who was a senior government official has rushed to the school and met the principal. His son was also there. When asked the reason, the principal has told the father that his son had stolen a pencil from another child and as it was serious for a 7 year old to steal, he considered it his duty to inform the father personally. Then the father has walked to his son, hugged the little one and asked “Putha, why did you steal, if you asked I could have brought some pencils from the office.”

Public should stop going for shortcuts. They should follow the correct procedure. The Society also should take the responsibility of breeding corruption.

More and more people should take part in politics. That doesn’t mean joining political parties. Make politics everybody’s business.

Voting is very important in electing honest politicians. People should make sure to vote in each and every election and seriously consider in contesting by themselves as independent contestants.

Media is the only weapon to unmask the corrupt. CT is doing its responsibility to unmask corruption where others fear to tread.

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Tintin/September 11, 2017

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what bout Haraha’s spending money on paintings to adorn his office using public money and demanding these paintings taken to wherever he goes. Wasnt he also someone who defended bond scam at one stage ? i

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Jadon/September 11, 2017

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Foot note man Harsha who tried to justify corruption at CB and constantly blams the people for corruption, rather than place the blame squarely on his Boss Ranil Wickramasinghe and his economic hit men including Avant Guard scammer Tilak Marapane is part of the problem of corruption in Sri Lanka.

Harsha is a US Economic Hit Man. The Vision 2025 document was written by US economic Hit Men at the Right Wing US government Aid agency the so Millennium Challenge Corporation which has promised Ranil 1.1 billion as a bribe and is “advising” the PM’s office to privatize data, information and regulatory systems and create a privatized Deep Data bank on Sri Lanka to advance US security interests. The Land bank is to sell off prime lands to insiders with information as is the plan to privatize transport, and take over the energy sector using Japanese and Indian companies as fronts. Wake up and see the sky!

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Kalupahana/September 11, 2017

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Dor. Wije. Next to the Bond scam the biggest scam is the Avant Guard security and arms trad company which came about when Gotabaya Rajapaksa with the current UNP Foreign Minister privatized the Sri Lanka Navy’s profitable company. Guess where Senadihipatti, Gota and Marapone and Ranil Wickramasinghe go to hospital and holidays?
The scam privatization of national security functions via Avant Guard must be investigated and should not be buried to reveal the foreign involvement that is promoting bi-partisan (UNP-SLFP) corruption on a mega scale and undermining national regulatory and oversight institutions, like the privatization of Central Bank regulatory and oversight functions to the ICTA for a National payment platform, Makinsey and to take over National Survey Dept function, is all part of a plan to undermine national agencies that conduct regulatory and oversight functions and enable access to a foreign government for a Deep Data construction and mining operation. This is linked to the larger national ID biometric mapping of the population and the “land bank” to appropriate, flip and sell land to those with inside information on available land in the country. Sri Lanka faces dangerous days with foreign Economic Hit Men writing economic development policy in the Prime Ministers office as evident from the Vision 2025 – like Regaining Sri Lanka!

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Jimsofty/September 11, 2017

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We are primitive in comparison to ghana in handling corruptions. ghanians have a agency for handling corruption and they promote reporting corruptions. In Sri lanka the whole system is there to protect thives.

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Native Vedda/September 11, 2017

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Jimsofty the Dimwit
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“In Sri lanka the whole system is there to protect thives.”
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You mean the Aryan Sinhala/Buddhists ruling thieves are protecting the rest of the thieves. Every Sinhala/Buddhist fascist knows they could hide behind Buddha Sasana.

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upali/September 11, 2017

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Being a Buddhist majority country may be the system is thinking that for the corrupt punishment will come the Buddhist way ” Dittadammawedaniya karma Upapajja wedaniya karma Aparapariya wedaniya karma Ahosi karma Etc. Meaning pay for your bad deeds this life next life in several births to come and not pay at all.

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Native Vedda/September 11, 2017

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upali
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“Meaning pay for your bad deeds this life next life in several births to come and not pay at all.”
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What a noble thought.
If its so let us abolish Parliament, state institutions, police, armed forces, courts, ……. because Karma will take care of everything.

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Daham/September 11, 2017

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Harsha may be the only young educated MP in the parliament having a PhD. However, having a Ph D is not a measure of the intelligence or the ability of a person because any hard working individual can obtain a PhD . Achievements after obtaining the PhD show how intelligent or how capable that person is. Honestly, no intelligent person with a PhD will ever become a Sri Lankan politician. Harsha’s FB shows how childish he is trying to impress the government’s achievements which people know is negligible. The only achievement is the Ambulance service. People are fed up reading about that daily.

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Tintin/September 12, 2017

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i 100% agree, did you see how he got excited when then head of bribery commission got her leg injured and posted photos of her in a wheelchair like a motissori child seeking attention. LOL

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Sinhala_Man/September 12, 2017

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Thank you Daham,

You’ve just about convinced me that Harsha de Silva is a man who should be admired. You’ve given us this argument for not regarding him as a worthwhile person:

“Honestly, no intelligent person with a PhD will ever become a Sri Lankan politician.”

Going back to practical criticism classes in English, honest statements rarely start with the word, “Honestly”.

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MahindB./September 11, 2017

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Those days under Mrs.Bandaranayakes period Ministers took advice from permanent secretaries and implemented policies what is suitable for the country.
Today ministers advice secretaries what they should do to benefit themselves not the country.
I remember one minister from down south calling ministry secretary “Bakamoona”
That is why the mega corruption prevail in this country.
Take example of Mrs.B’s permanent secretaries she brought some brilliant people at that time namely Pro.H.A.De S.Gunasekara,Dr.Jayantha Kelegama,Mr.Doric Soza, Dr.Nath Amarakoon,Tissa Wijeratne etc, when these people left their respective posts not a pebble of corruption left behind.

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Native Vedda/September 11, 2017

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MahindB
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“Those days under Mrs.Bandaranayakes period Ministers took advice from permanent secretaries and implemented policies what is suitable for the country.”
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Please tell us what sort of advice that permanent secretaries gave Ministers that was suitable for the country.

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MahindB/September 11, 2017

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Native Vedda
Where were you during this period you would have been hiding in the jungles!
This issue with regard to corruption only what I said was these people were never involve in corruption neither they gave wrong advice or encouraged ministers to involve in corruption.
In short these people never bowed down to ministers unreasonable requests.

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Native Vedda/September 12, 2017

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MahindB
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You are living in a romantic past. Please revisit history.

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Buddhi Perera/September 11, 2017

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After struggling to safeguard the Bond perpetrators,. he talks about corruption.

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D.Nimal/September 11, 2017

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The corruption is born by corny capitalism -UNP that depend on US led political -power in world wide.
They who give protection of local corrupted politician and political parties including UNP to time to time last 70 years.
The UNP is/was most key reliably allied of USA, UK and Japan that look after vital interest of Monopoly capital as agent of Westerner an Island.
The few individual members of UNP’s crying against case of corruption are their personal feelings of that. Those has nothing to do with range of policy corrupted encourage by leaders and Parties that matter are concern .
Therefor New Leadership of UNP -MS and Old UNP-Ranil leadership that totally agreed for run administration by manipulations of high level of political corruptions >
Is that time permitted to skip elections they will run until year 2025?
President of MS has proved doubt that, when CB Bond scam was came to Public ,HE of MS has overnight dissolved Parliament to pave way to UNP to back power of governances?
Who is the head of State? Is that MS or Ranil Wicks?
Who is person having island wide mandate ? Is that MS.
His Excellency an accountability of CB Bond scam that cannot escape from punishment of history?
One day he has face before truth of CB Bond Scam?
HE also one of main culprit ,the by man of adding and abating also responsibility CB Bond scam has goes to account sooner or later —-to MS?
The very corruption and frauds of current governance has destroy working democracy of Parliament?

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Sellam/September 11, 2017

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What does Dr. Harsha De Silva going to do about it? Continue to support being a deputy Minister in the corrupt government. He becomes part and parcel of corruptive government.

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K.Pillai/September 11, 2017

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There were molehills of corruption but over the last seven decades or so the molehills have become mountain structure – almost indestructible. On 08 January 2015 we were led to believe that the knights in white armour will blow up the mountains to smithereens. We now near-impregnable caves are dug up inside the mountains to protect past and present crooks. Enough for the prosaic side!
Recently Ravi K resigned from his FM post but he retains all the ministerial perks and “all” forgiven and forgotten! Was this victory?
Recently Weeratunga and Palpita were found guilty. The prosecutor seems to have prosecuted with diligence. This shows the dark side – why the hell do they not do this as the proper thing to do? Watch this space for the recent hit and run case? Will this turn out like the Ranawaka hit and run of yesteryear?
Yes we can see a silver lining. Some younger politicians are genuinely interested in bridling corruption. The anguished Lankans (silent majority) know that success is near but not round the corner.
Thank you Dr Harsha de Silva, Deputy Minister of Policy Planning and Economic Development for your effort. The “silent Harshas” please join him.

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Mallaiyuran/September 12, 2017

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Harsha’s proudest moment is when he was sent replace Mangala who failed to repeal Resolution 30/1 but had only rolled back with 34/1. This is an honor like when Ponny was appointed as the General, recognizing his brigadier (brutal) services in North by Old Brother Prince.

Ranil has noted Harsha’s double acting and will put it to work for the country in the future the same way he used him at UNHRC to replace the ordinary greatest liar Mangala with this “N0.1 greatest liar”.
Writer guy is falling into argument with Mahendran on EPF. If the writer wants to make readers confuse with what and economic policy or Financial Policy and what is corruption, certainly he has been a good officer at central bank, if not as equal as to Ajith Nivard. It is so silly to see he is twisting a matter of policy to prove that Mahendran is corrupted. It is understandable the writer trying to show that he underhand of investing better than a Tamil Pariah. It is well acceptable he takes Harsha to his partnership, as Harsha has the traits to take over JR’s anti-Tamil Policies. Whether EPF should be managed by central bank is political question. But, what kind of securities the EPF should invest is financial not political, but long term low risk is the answer. Employees have no saying in the securities. But it is their money. In those cases ethics too play a role not just high yield or risk, but the risk is the main factor. It does not mean Mahendran’s suggestion of Private Banks was high risk.

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Mallaiyuran/September 12, 2017

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I don’t think that taking EPF out private banks was matter in the election manifesto of Yahapalanaya or a condition to the employment of Mahendran. Then, I do not see why Mahendran should not have followed the pattern of the predecessors (provided he was not in pre-arranged corruption deal on that).

Risk management involves many criteria and it is not just a crude question of “All Eggs in one Basket?”. There is no history of private banks dragging down Lankawe stock trade in the past history, though now both private Banks, government Financial institutions and Central Bank all under heavy political influence.
Central bank is extremely corrupted and leading in it above the whole organizations in country. I would think the better way is not just a governor but hiring a private Western Management company to run the Central Bank for 10 or 15 years until all the cronies sticking on to that sucking it are shed off. The National Bank’s legacy is not anything different from case of National carrier. Time is to not resist like in the case of National Carrier, but to save the country from a possible slip to bankruptcy.

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K.Pillai/September 12, 2017

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Mallaiyuran suggestion ~ “I would think the better way is not just a governor but hiring a private Western Management company to run the Central Bank for 10 or 15 years until all the cronies sticking on to that sucking it are shed off”.
A company floated for this purpose in Singapore?
Medical treatment of Mugabes, Duminda Silvas is big big big business in Singapore!

kumara sonnadara/September 20, 2017

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